Minnesota Kids Count 2015: Developing Opportunities for All

MINNESOTA KIDS COUNT 2015: Developing Opportunities for All Minnesota Children

Produced by Children’s Defense Fund–Minnesota

CDF-MN StaffPeggy Flanagan,

Executive Director Jessica Anderson, Legislative

Affairs and Communications Director

Emma Brainerd, Youth Program Assistant

Elaine Cunningham, Outreach Director

Kristen Fabin, AmeriCorps Promise Fellow

Nicole Hernandez, Youth Development Director

Stephanie Hogenson, Research and Policy Director

Alisha Porter, Finance and Operations Manager

Kristen Madhuizen Wolfe, Development Director

Nation Wright, 21st Century Program Coordinator

Daniel Yang, Senior Organizer

AcknowledgementsCDF-MN thanks the following individuals for their help in providing data and assistance.

Kara Arzamendia, Minnesota Department of Education

Angie Bowman, Child Care Aware of Minnesota

Megan Cox, Minnesota Department of Education

Joni Geppert, Minnesota Department of Health

Sophia Lenarz-Coy, Hunger Solutions Minnesota

Judy Palermo, Minnesota Department of Health

Melanie Peterson-Hickey, Minnesota Department of Health

Maira Rosas-Lee, Minnesota Department of Education

Amy Gehring, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Ray Kurth-Nelson, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Advisory CommitteeCDF-MN thanks the following individuals for providing their expertise and suggestions for the 2015 Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book.

Megan Dayton, Minnesota State Demographic Center

Andi Egbert, Minnesota State Demographic Center

Barb Fabre, White Earth Child Care Program

Dianne Haulcy, Think SmallNicole Hernandez, Children’s

Defense Fund-MinnesotaKamayla Howard, Greater

Minneapolis Crisis NurseryMeghann Levitt, Carlton County

Public Health and Human Services

Patina Park, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center

Melanie Peterson-Hickey, Minnesota Department of Health

Steve Piekarski, The Arc Greater Twin Cities

Ann Rogers, UCareMaira Rosas-Lee, Minnesota

Department of EducationMaureen Seiwert, Minneapolis

Public SchoolsNankya Senungi, College

PossiblePhyllis Sloan, La Creche Early

Childhood CenterBharti Wahi, Greater Twin

Cities United Way

Layout and Design by Heewon Lee, Triangle Park Creative, Minneapolis

Printed by Concord Printing, St. Paul

Cover photo taken at CDF-MN Freedom Schools 2015 National Day of Social Action in Minneapolis

Minnesota KIDS COUNT is a Project of Children’s Defense Fund–Minnesota

The Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind®

mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head

Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life

and successful passage to adulthood with the help of

caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong,

effective voice for all the children of America who cannot

vote, lobby or speak for themselves. We pay particular

attention to the needs of poor children, children of color

and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation

about the needs of children and encourages preventative

investments before they get sick or into trouble, drop out

of school or suffer family breakdown.

CDF began in 1973, arriving in Minnesota in 1985, and is

a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation

and corporate grants and individual donations.

What is KIDS COUNT?

KIDS COUNT, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation,

is a national and state-by-state effort to track the status

of children in the U.S. By providing policymakers

and citizens with benchmarks of child well-being,

KIDS COUNT seeks to enrich local, state and national

discussions concerning ways to secure better futures for

all children.

As the Minnesota KIDS COUNT grantee, Children’s

Defense Fund-Minnesota (CDF-MN) releases periodic

reports and an annual data book regarding the well-being

of children and families in Minnesota. Please visit our

website at www.cdf-mn.org/research-library to locate the

electronic copy of this data book.

We thank the Annie E. Casey Foundation for its support

but acknowledge that the findings and conclusions

presented in this book are those of CDF-MN alone and do

not necessarily represent the opinions of the Foundation.

Any or all portions of this data book may be reproduced

without prior permission, provided the source is cited.

Questions about the contents of this book may be directed

to Stephanie Hogenson at shogenson@childrensdefense.

org or 651-855-1175.

Letter from CDF-MN ................................................................................................................................ page 2

About the Data Book ............................................................................................................................... page 3

Surrounding Environment and Child Outcomes .......................................................................................... page 4

Demographics ................................................................................................................................... pages 4–9

Developmental Stages

Prenatal to Birth ............................................................................................................................pages 10–11

Early Childhood .............................................................................................................................pages 12–13

School Age ....................................................................................................................................pages 14–15

Adolescence ..................................................................................................................................pages 16–17

Young Adult ..................................................................................................................................pages 18–19

Data

State-Level Data Tables ..................................................................................................................pages 20–24

Technical Notes ..............................................................................................................................pages 25–26

Endnotes .............................................................................................................................................. page 27

The KIDS COUNT Data Center

provides one comprehensive website

of national, state, county and city

information to help community

members stay up-to-date on key

trends in child well-being. The

website contains hundreds of

indicators and allows users to:

• Create custom reports for a specific

county or state;

• Compare and rank data for different

states and counties; and

• Design graphics like maps and trend

lines to use in presentations and

publications, including websites or

blogs.

The KIDS COUNT Data Center

provides state- and county-level data

for all 87 counties in Minnesota.

These data are collected by KIDS

COUNT grantees (including CDF-MN)

for use in their data books and other

publications. All county-level data

that were previously published in the

Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book

are available through the interactive

KIDS COUNT Data Center website—

datacenter.kidscount.org.

Sparking Conversations, Ideas and Change: The KIDS COUNT Data Center

Table of Contents

2 KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK 2015 | Children’s Defense Fund–Minnesota

Letter from CDF-MN

This year Minnesota ranked number one in child well-being in the 2015 National KIDS COUNT Data Book

released in July by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. It’s evident that recent state and local investments that

support children and families, especially policies and programs that support family economic success and

access to health coverage and care, are paying off in improved outcomes for many Minnesota children.

Minnesota often ranks high on these types of quality of life lists, and Minnesotans love to boast about what

a great state we are. However, our pride should not allow us to overlook the finer points of what Minnesota’s

data tells us. For some children in our state, particularly those in families with lower incomes and children of

color and American Indians, societal barriers, such as structural racism, under-resourced neighborhoods and

schools, and lack of economic mobility, result in chronic inequities that are often some of the worst in the

country. We cannot be content with a high ranking that masks chronic disparities particularly in economic and

education outcomes for children of color in our state. While it’s morally imperative to address these disparities,

our changing demographics demonstrate an economic imperative as well. The success of our future workforce

and economy depend on the success of all Minnesota children—an increasingly diverse population. The

number of children in Minnesota has remained stagnant over the past few years but the faces of those children

are changing—30 percent of our children under age five are now children of color.1 For all Minnesota children

to be successful, we need to rethink how our systems that serve children and families address institutional and

systemic racism and inequities. Minnesota’s future will be brighter if we increase opportunities for children

that are culturally relevant and support family success at the point before children get sick, drop out of school,

get into trouble or suffer family breakdown.

That’s why in this year’s Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book we focused on indicators of success in each stage

of a child’s development that are disaggregated by race and ethnicity. The data help us understand where

interventions and investments are needed to improve outcomes for specific populations. Some of the data

disaggregated by race and ethnicity in this data book demonstrate the steeper ladder to success Minnesota

children of color have to climb and illustrate a story of broken promises, unequal access to opportunities and

a threat to the future prosperity of Minnesota. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Many Minnesota

children and families are defying statistics by accessing available opportunities that empower their strengths

and improve their chances of success throughout their development. Many of these types of opportunities are

highlighted in the data book and could be replicated to reach more children. By expanding these opportunities

to more Minnesota children and implementing culturally relevant programming and two-generation strategies,

more children can have the tools to continue to make Minnesota a prosperous, healthy state for years to come.

Minnesota knows what creates success for most Minnesota children at each developmental stage. We now

need to focus on increasing access to opportunities for the rest of Minnesota children, particularly children of

color and American Indian children.

—Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota, November 2015

Children’s Defense Fund–Minnesota | KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK 2015 3

About the Data Book

Like other Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Books, the

purpose of this data book is to provide data on child well-

being to inform conversations and policy decisions around

issues affecting children and families. This data book

focuses on providing access to opportunities to ensure all

children, particularly children of color and American Indian

children, have the tools to become successful adults and

contribute positively to the prosperity of our state.

The Surrounding Environment and Child Outcomes text

and data throughout the Demographics Section provide

insight to how different child populations experience

environmental factors that affect their access to opportunity

and successful outcomes. The Demographics Section of

the data book provides a brief overview of populations

highlighted in the data by the race and ethnic categories

for which data is most accessible.

Each of the following sections of the data book highlights

a child’s developmental stage from prenatal to young

adulthood. After a brief introduction to the developmental

stage, there are a few key indicators disaggregated by race

and ethnicity. These indicators were chosen because of the

evidence-based findings that they often predict success

at that developmental stage and later on in a child’s life.

Along the bottom of the page is the “Opportunity Timeline.”

This timeline highlights key interventions, programs or

policies that can increase the likelihood of improved

outcomes at that developmental stage and later on in a

child’s life. Access to many or all of these opportunities,

throughout a child’s development, provides a boost as

children climb the ladder to success often made steeper

by environmental factors such as family income, parental

education and living in areas of concentrated poverty. It’s

also these opportunities that prevent more costly remedial

interventions later on in a child’s life such as special

education, involvement with the justice system and poor

health outcomes.

The Developing Opportunities program spotlight in each

section features a program that is effectively serving

children at that developmental stage. Many of the

programs highlighted serve mostly children of color or

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society where all children thrive. Throughout the following

Demographics Section are data on overall health, economic

and environmental well-being by race and ethnicity.

These figures show the various disparities in children’s

surrounding environments that affect their overall well-

being and access to opportunity.

Demographics 2

The Minnesota State Demographic Center estimates that

by 2035 people of color and American Indians will make

up 25 percent of Minnesota’s population3 compared to 18

percent in 2013 and 12 percent at the turn of the century.4

Sixty percent of the state’s total projected population

growth from 2013 to 2035 will be in populations of color.

The future of the state hinges on the success of these

children. With an increasingly diverse population, the focus

must be on eliminating gaps in economic opportunity,

academic success and health outcomes for diverse

populations.

target children from specific backgrounds with culturally

relevant programming. These are just a few of the

many opportunities across the state that are addressing

disparities and improving outcomes for children.

At the end of the data book are the state-level data tables

that are published in every KIDS COUNT Data Book. This

data, as well as most of the data that is included in the

data book, and more can be found online in the KIDS

COUNT Data Center at www.datacenter.kidscount.org.

Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota is committed to

providing data, best practices and policy recommendations

with a focus on increasing access to opportunities for

children of color and American Indian children, and this

data book is a part of that commitment.

Surrounding Environment & Child Outcomes

Access to opportunity is a value that built this country

and made Minnesota great, but it is not equally realized.

Children who grow up in economically secure families

in neighborhoods rich with resources have increased

access to opportunities that improve their chances to

be healthy, excel academically and move up the income

ladder as adults. When these same opportunities are

made available to children who often lack access, like

those who are low-income or live in certain zip codes,

they often experience the same positive outcomes in

adulthood. Historically, however, policies influenced by

structural racism like discrimination in the homeownership

process, unequal access to benefits of the GI Bill and

inequitable transportation policies have segregated people

of color into under-resourced neighborhoods with fewer

high paying jobs, lack of accessible public transportation

and poorer performing schools. Additionally, policies

continue to be created without consulting populations

of color and American Indians about their needs or the

potential effects on their communities. These policies

and continued structural and institutional racism still

affect children’s access to opportunity and, in turn, their

outcomes and the future of the state. Analyzing data on

child outcomes by race and ethnicity is the first step to

identifying ways to shift policy to create a more equitable

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

3%8% 8% 9% 9%

24% 23% 23%28%

40% 41%

18% 21%

48% 46%

60%

71%68%*

White Asian Two or More Races

Hispanic or Latino

Black American Indian

200% of FPT (Low-Income)

100% of FPT (Poverty)

50% of Federal Poverty Threshhold (FPT) (Extreme Poverty)

FIGURE 1: LEVELS OF CHILD POVERTY BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2013

U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by the Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online. *The one-year 2013 American Community Survey estimates for low-income American Indian children was suppressed because the confidence interval around the percentage is greater than or equal to 10 percentage points. Instead of the one-year 2013 ACS data, the number of American Indian Children below 200% of poverty is the 3-year average for 2011–13.


To identify the needs and strengths among various

populations, most of the data in this data book are

disaggregated by race and ethnicity in five categories:

American Indian, Black or African American, Hispanic

or Latino, Asian, and White. These are the categories as

defined by the U.S. Census Bureau and are used frequently

by other sources of data. Unfortunately, data are not often

collected or made accessible that are more stratified by

race and ethnicity and better identify individuals and

communities, particularly for recent immigrant populations

that come from a variety of countries and circumstances.

Collecting, analyzing and publishing more stratified data

would help identify unique trends for specific populations

and help to understand the strengths and needs of diverse

communities across the state.

American Indian For hundreds of years, the Dakota people lived in the area

that became the southern and western part of Minnesota.

The Ojibwe moved into northern Minnesota in the late

1600s and early 1700s. By the mid-1860s, most of their

traditional lands had been taken by White settlers and the

federal government.

In Minnesota, there are seven Anishinaabe (Chippewa,

Ojibwe) reservations and four Dakota (Sioux) communities.

The seven Anishinaabe reservations are Grand Portage,

Bois Forte, Red Lake, White Earth, Leech Lake, Fond du

Lac and Mille Lacs. All seven Anishinaabe reservations in

Minnesota were originally established by treaty and are

considered separate and distinct nations by the United

States government. The four Dakota communities are

Shakopee Mdewakanton, Prairie Island, Lower Sioux

and Upper Sioux. These communities represent small

segments of the original reservation that were restored to

the Dakota by Acts of Congress or Proclamations of the

Secretary of Interior. In 2013, the American Community

Survey estimated 17,975 American Indian children lived

in Minnesota, which was about one percent of the total

child population. The majority of these children live across

northern Minnesota. According to the Minnesota State

Demographic Center, the American Indian population is

projected to grow more slowly than other communities of

color in Minnesota. By 2035 the total American Indian

population is estimated to grow about 11 percent from

the 2013 population (57,600 to 63,700). The American

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

FIGURE 2: CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WHERE HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD HAS AT LEAST A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, 2013

AMERICAN INDIAN

ASIAN

BLACK

HISPANIC or LATINO

TWO OR MORE RACES

WHITE

TOTAL

83%*

95%

97%

92%

80%

81%

68%

Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. *Data was suppressed due to low confidence interval for American Indians in 2013. The data here is for 2012.

FIGURE 3: CHILDREN IN FAMILIES WHERE AT LEAST ONE PARENT HAS REGULAR, FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT, 2013

Asian

Hispanic or Latino Two or More Races

Black

White

81%73%

65% 64%

54%

Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey.


Indian population across the state encompasses many

tribes and nations. About 28 percent of the American

Indian child population lives in the 7-County Metro Area

and the rest are in Greater Minnesota. Mahnomen County,

which is made up entirely of White Earth Reservation, and

Beltrami County, which includes parts of Red Lake and

Leech Lake Reservations, have the highest percentages

of American Indian children with 57 percent and 33

percent of the total child population in those counties

respectively. These two counties also have some of the

highest rates of child poverty in the state. Other counties

with high percentages of American Indian children (at

least 10 percent of the total child population) are Cass,

Cook, Clearwater, Becker and Mille Lacs. Minneapolis, St.

Paul, Duluth and Moorhead also have high percentages of

American Indian children.

Black or African American

In the 1990s and into the 2000s, the Black population

in Minnesota increased due in part to immigrants arriving

from Africa. Unfortunately, most of the data do not

differentiate between those who have lived in Minnesota for

generations and more recent immigrants and refugees from

Somalia, Ethiopia and other African countries. In 2013,

the American Community Survey estimated 103,532 Black

children lived in Minnesota, which was about eight percent

of the total child population. In the past decade the

number of Black children grew by 35 percent. The majority

of Black children live in the Twin Cities metro area with

some in small communities in Greater Minnesota.

According to the Minnesota State Demographic Center,

the total Black population is expected to increase greatly

in upcoming years. By 2035, the total number of Black

people is estimated to grow to approximately 454,400,

a gain of more than 50 percent compared to 2013. All

regions across Minnesota will experience increases in the

Race/Ethnicity Median IncomeState Rank

(Highest to lowest)*

American Indian $36,400 14

Asian $67,400 31

Black $30,600 22

Hispanic/Latino $38,900 13

White $84,200 12

Two or More Races $42,600 25

*Due to sample size not all states are ranked in each racial category. Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey.

FIGURE 5: MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME AMONG HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN AND STATE RANK, 2013

FIGURE 4: MINNESOTA’S ACTUAL GDP AND ESTIMATED GDP WITH RACIAL EQUITY IN INCOME (BILLIONS)

Bureau of Economic Analysis; IPUMS PolicyLink/PERE National Equity Atlas, www.nationalequityatlas.org.

$200

$225

$250

$275

$300

$325

$350

$375

$400

Actual Projected (no racial gaps in income/employment)

$294.73

$312.26


Black population, with the highest percentage remaining

concentrated in the Twin Cities metro area. About 87

percent of the Black child population lives in the 7-County

Metro Area with nearly half living in Hennepin County.

Other counties with more than five percent of Black

children in order of highest percentage of total children are

Ramsey, Dakota, Olmsted, Anoka, Stearns and Blue Earth.

Hispanic or Latino

It’s important to note that Hispanic is a culture of origin

from Spain or another Spanish-speaking country, and

Latino/a refers to a person from Latin America. These

identifiers are not races, so people who identify as Hispanic

or Latino for data purposes can be of any race. The U.S.

Census Bureau defines Hispanic or Latino as “a person of

Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American,

or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.”

Future references will refer to Hispanics or Latinos as

Hispanics for brevity.

Hispanics have been living in Minnesota as early as

the 1860s. People born in Mexico make up the largest

population of Minnesota’s foreign-born residents.5 Many

others have moved here from South and Central America or

Spain. Many Hispanics can trace their roots to indigenous

peoples. The most well-known indigenous cultures include

the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans, but there are many others as

well. Unfortunately, most of the data do not differentiate by

country of origin due to small sample sizes.

In 2013, the American Community Survey estimated

107,848 Hispanic children lived in Minnesota, which

was about eight percent of the total child population. The

majority of these children live in the Twin Cities metro area;

however, there are some growing populations in southern

and northwestern Minnesota. According to the Minnesota

State Demographic Center, the total Hispanic population

is projected to grow rapidly to 551,600 in 2035, which

is double the 2013 total population. All regions across

Minnesota will experience increases in the Hispanic

population, but about two-thirds of the total Hispanic

population will live in the 7-County Metro Area by 2035.

More than 35 percent of the Hispanic child population

in Minnesota live in Greater Minnesota, including a

high percentage in Watonwan and Nobles Counties with

Population Reference Bureau analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2009-2013 American Community Survey 5-year data.

In recent years

Minnesota and the

nation have seen a

significant increase

in children living in

areas of concentrated

poverty, defined as

areas where 30% or

more of the population

is in poverty. Children

living in these areas

have poorer social,

health and academic

outcomes, regardless

of their own family’s

poverty status.

FIGURE 6: CHILDREN LIVING IN AREAS OF CONCENTRATED POVERTY BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2009–13

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

AMERICAN INDIAN

ASIAN

BLACK

HISPANIC or LATINO

TWO OR MORE RACES

WHITE

TOTAL

26%

20%

25%

12%

2%

9%

6%


Hispanic children making up more than one-third of the

total child population in those counties. Other counties

with Hispanic children accounting for 10 percent or more

of the child population from highest to lowest percentage

are Kandiyohi, Mower, Freeborn, Renville, Rice, Sibley,

Faribault, Ramsey, Hennepin, Steele, Cottonwood,

Chippewa, Lyon, Le Sueur, Dakota, Polk and Todd. Data

from the Minnesota Department of Education indicate

approximately 44,300 children enrolled in the 2014–15

school year spoke Spanish as their primary language at

home. Outside of English, Spanish is the most common

language spoken at home in Minnesota.

Asian

From the decennial census we can glean some information

on the ethnicities of Asians living in Minnesota. For

example, there have been only small groups of Chinese,

Filipino, Japanese and Korean to settle in Minnesota over

the past 60 years. However, immigration from Southeast

Asia has grown significantly since the 1970s with refugees

from Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. This

unique Asian population, which includes many who come

from underdeveloped countries with little to no access

to education, has contributed to Minnesota having some

of the highest rates of Asian child poverty in the country.

Unfortunately, most of the data are not differentiated by

country of origin or unique ethnic identity among Asian

populations.

In 2013, the American Community Survey estimated

72,684 Asian or Pacific Islander children lived in

Minnesota, which was about six percent of the total child

population. The majority of these children lived in the

Twin Cities metro area; however, there are some growing

populations in southern Minnesota. According to the

Minnesota State Demographic Center, the Asian population

is projected to grow to 391,400 in 2035, a gain of 60

percent compared to the 2013 population. Approximately

82 percent will live in the Twin Cities in 2035. Currently,

nearly 89 percent of the Asian child population lives in

the 7-County Metro Area with the highest concentration by

far in Ramsey County. Other counties with percentages of

Asian children greater than five percent in order of highest

to lowest are Hennepin, Redwood, Washington, Olmsted,

Nobles, Dakota and Anoka.

White

While the number of children of color in Minnesota

is growing rapidly, nearly three-quarters (72%) of the

state’s child population remains White. The high number

of White children has significant influence on the

statewide indicators in child outcomes and often masks

the disparities in outcomes. That’s why it’s important to

disaggregate data by race and ethnicity, which often shows

that while Minnesota has top-ranking outcomes for its

overall child population it has some of the worst outcomes

for children of color and American Indian children in the

country.

Although the White child population in Minnesota has

lower rates of indicators that negatively affect child

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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

WhiteAsian Two or More Races

TotalHispanic or Latino

BlackAmerican Indian

FIGURE 7: CHILDREN WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2013

Population Reference Bureau, analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey.

19% 5% 6% 13% 4% 6% 6%

Note: It is optional for applicants to indicate their race/ethnicity when applying for these programs, so not all participants are reflected in the race and ethnicity number and percents. For more information about these programs, please visit mn.bridgetobenefits.org.

FIGURE 8: WORK SUPPORT PROGRAM PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN BY RACE AND ETHNICITY BY PROGRAM (# ENROLLED / % OF TOTAL ENROLLED)

Medical Assistance7

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)8

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC)9

Basic Sliding Fee Child Care Assistance Program (BSF CCAP)10

American Indian 13,646 / 3.6% 9,029 / 3.4% 2,786 / 3.4% 251 / 1.7%

Asian/Pacific Islander 27,662 / 7.2% 20,659 / 7.7% 7,599 / 9.2% 369 / 2.5%

Black 82,065 / 21.6% 69,417 / 25.8% 17,740 / 21.4% 4,184 / 28.3%

Hispanic/Latino 49,816 / 13.1% 32,902 / 12.2% 15,152 / 18.3% 1,005 / 6.8%

White 167,665 / 44.2% 114,444 / 42.55% 33,315 / 40.1% 7,333 / 49.6%

Multiple Races 18,078 / 4.8% 14,299 / 5.3% 6,411 / 7.7% 1,109 / 7.5%

outcomes like poverty, lack of access to health insurance

and missing academic milestones, it’s important to note

that the majority of the children affected by these issues

in Minnesota are White. Additionally, the majority of the

children eligible for and served by many of the public and

private programs that improve child outcomes are White.

Oftentimes, White children have increased access to these

opportunities because they have advantages to accessing

services such as speaking English, outreach efforts that

are targeted toward them, and culturally relevant programs

that are often created and administered by White people.

Moreover, White children do not experience significant

barriers caused by racism, generational discrimination and

stereotypes that children of color experience.

According to the Minnesota State Demographic Center,

the White population is expected to grow to 4,835,900

by 2035, a growth of nine percent compared to the 2013

population. The growth is significantly lower than the

growth of populations of color because there are fewer

White immigrants coming to Minnesota and the White

population has a lower fertility rate.6

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A CHILD’S FUTURE IS BEING INFLUENCED even before the child is a

twinkle in the parents’ eyes. The health,

education and economic statuses of

parents before pregnancy are linked to

birth outcomes and influence development

throughout childhood and into adulthood.

During pregnancy, a mother’s access to

early and consistent prenatal care and

adequate nutrition as well as health and

economic status determine risk factors for

birth and infant outcomes.11 Supporting all

parents with access to prenatal education,

health care and nutritious foods improve

the chances that their babies will be born

full term and at a healthy birth weight and

enter the world with a strong start.

Prenatal to Birth

Minnesota Baby Facts

69,183 Minnesotans were born in 2013

On any given day

190 babies were born

And of those an estimated…

2 were born to teenage mothers

9 were born at a low birth weight

14 were born pre-term 20 had

mothers who didn’t have a high school diploma or GED

7 had mothers who received inadequate or no prenatal care

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

WIC is a federal program that provides food vouchers, nutrition information and health care referrals to pregnant and breastfeeding women and children age 0–5. Babies born to mothers enrolled in WIC are more likely to be full term, of healthy weight and have lower infant mortality rates.12 Children enrolled in WIC have better health outcomes, are less likely to experience a developmental delay and are more likely to be ready for school.13 Forty-five percent of babies born in Minnesota in 2013 were enrolled in WIC.14

Paid Family Leave

For the few who are able to access it through their employer, paid family leave allows working parents to care for their families without sacrificing economic security. Its benefits are broad in reach. For new parents, paid leave increases the time they take to be at home with their newborn, helping them to develop a strong bond with their baby and adjust to caring for the new child.16 Longer leave following the birth of a child results in increased rates of breastfeeding, improved maternal physical and mental health, and improved health and access to health care for the baby.17 For new fathers, longer leave is associated with increased involvement in the care of the child.18 Additionally, parents who are able to take paid leave to care for children of all ages with special health care needs report better outcomes for their children.

$1 spent on WIC = Up to $3.13in health care cost savings in first

60 days after infant’s birth.15

Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.


DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES: CENTERINGPREGNANCY® PROGRAM AT HENNEPIN COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER’S WHITTIER CLINIC

Group prenatal care is an increasingly popular and effective

model of prenatal care with a cohort of parents due in

the same month. CenteringPregnancy® is a nationally

recognized model of group prenatal care that promotes

patient engagement, personal empowerment and community

building. The model is proven to reduce preterm births and

increase breastfeeding rates.21

There are eight sites in the metro area and two sites in

Greater Minnesota that offer the CenteringPregnancy model

of group prenatal care. HCMC’s Whittier Clinic started

offering CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care in 2008.

Each group at the clinic is conducted in Spanish and

English and includes a private health assessment with a

doctor followed by group discussions on topics such as

caring for a baby, breastfeeding, healthy pregnancy, comfort

in labor and community resources. Prenatal educators at

the clinic say the model empowers women to take charge

of their health and share their experiences, while creating

a community among participants that often lasts after the

birth of their babies.

Text4Baby

Text4baby is a national project of the nonprofit Zero to Three and Voxiva.

The free text messaging service and cell phone

application offered across the country provides health,

safety, development and nutrition information to expecting parents

and parents of infants up to one year old in English and Spanish. To sign up parents can text Baby (or Bebe for Spanish) to 511411.

The Minnesota Family Home Visiting Program (FHV)

The Minnesota Family Home Visiting Program (FHV) is a federally and state-funded program for low-income families. Visits in the families’ homes often start prenatally and are conducted by nurses or trained home visitors to provide parental support and education, referrals to support services, and parental empowerment. FHV has demonstrated a decrease in child abuse and neglect and alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, as well as increased breastfeeding rates, and increases in family income.19

INFANT OUTCOMES BY RACE AND ETHNICITY

0

20

40

60

80

100

WhiteAsian Hispanic or Latino

BlackAmerican Indian

Adequate Prenatal Care (2013)

Normal Birthweight (2013)

Infant Mortality (2009–2013)rate per 1,000 births

In Minnesota, by a child’s fifth birthday, state and local government cost savings

total $4,550 per family served by the Nurse-Family Partnership program.20

46.4%

63.6% 62.7%

72.4%

82.5%

9.24.4

8.55.2 4.1

93.6% 93.7% 92.2% 92.4% 96%

Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.


DURING THE FIRST YEARS of a child’s life his or her

brain is going through its most rapid development with 700

new neural connections occurring every second.22 Brains

are built from the bottom up starting with simple skills

that provide the foundation for more advanced skills later

in life—that’s why brain development in early childhood

is fundamental to a child’s later outcomes. Healthy brain

development in early childhood is dependent on safe

environments and stable and interactive relationships

with parents and caregivers. Stable, caring and responsive

relationships with caregivers is key not only to healthy brain

development, but also to helping a child develop resiliency

when exposed to toxic stress from experiencing adversities

such as poverty, hunger, maternal depression, abuse and

neglect. That’s why early interventions and programs

that support a young child’s development and educate

caregivers help ensure a child has a healthy foundation for

future learning. Increased scientific and economic research

has inspired public will and investment in early intervention

programs with a focus on early education. This momentum

around early childhood initiatives must be captured and

focus on a child’s earliest experiences because services

offered early in life are more effective and cost efficient

than those later in life.

Access to High-Quality Early Education

High-quality preschool programs for 3-and 4-year-olds, including those offered in school-based settings, center- and family-based child care environments, and Head Start, improve school readiness and facilitate a range of positive outcomes in school and in life. These programs are especially beneficial for low-income children and other vulnerable children, including those who are homeless, in foster care, don’t speak English as their primary language

or have disabilities. Unfortunately, children’s access to preschool is often determined by their parents’ incomes and the lottery of geography, and quality varies widely. Statewide programs such as Head Start, the Child Care Assistance Program and Early Learning Scholarships

increase access, but due to lack of funding not all children

who are eligible for these programs have access.

Early Childhood

U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-13 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by the Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

*The data for Black and American Indian children not attending preschool was suppressed for 2011–13 because the confidence interval around the percentage is greater than or equal to 10 percentage points. Data was not suppressed for Black children in 2010–12, so that data is provided. Data is suppressed for American Indian children in all recent years.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

60%63%

60% 57%

American Indian

Asian Black* Hispanic or Latino

White Two or More Races

TOTAL

CHILDREN NOT ATTENDING PRESCHOOL BY RACE, 2011–2013

NA*

53% 55%

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Developmental screenings, often administered by doctors or school districts, are required for Minnesota children entering kindergarten and can increase the likelihood of identifying a development delay so intervention can be accessed as soon as possible. Ongoing assessment of a child’s development from birth is essential to positive outcomes when intervention is necessary.

Early Childhood Screening


Combining literacy science and national service, Reading

Corps is increasing literacy and academic success

for preschool to third graders. Launched in 2003 by

ServeMinnesota, the state’s funds administrator for the

national service program AmeriCorps, the program has

expanded to 11 states and Washington D.C. and served

more than 170,000 Minnesota students. Reading Corps

tutors receive rigorous training and support from literacy

coaches to provide individualized support for students

struggling to read in elementary schools, Head Start or

other preschool programs. Reading Corps tutors are in 800

sites across the state—one in 77 of the 87 Minnesota

counties.

Preschool participants are more likely than their peers to

meet kindergarten readiness standards and are three times

less likely to need special education services. The program

is estimated to save the state $9 million dollars in special

education spending annually. A proven-effective model that

contributes to academic success particularly for children of

color and those from lower income families, ServeMinnesota

is continuing to expand across the state and nation.Part C Early Intervention Services

Part C Early Intervention Services, which are federally funded and coordinated and delivered through a child’s school district, serve children through age 2 who have a developmental delay or who have a diagnosed physical or mental condition or disorder with a high probability of resulting in a delay. Part C services are provided at no cost to the family, typically are delivered in a child’s home, and can include physical, speech and occupational therapy, and nutrition counseling. In 2013, 5,162 Minnesota children were served by Part C and have Individual Family Service Plans.23

One-third of Minnesota children who received Part C Early Intervention Services did not need special education by second or third grade.24

CHILDREN AGE 0–5 WHO HAD A FAMILY MEMBER SING OR TELL STORIES TO THEM EVERYDAY IN THE PAST WEEK, 2011–2012

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Black Other, Non-Hispanic

HispanicWhite

DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES: MINNESOTA READING CORPS

The Data Resource Center for Children and Adolescent Health, 2011–12. Retrieved from: childhealthdata.org. Note: Hispanic includes all children reporting Hispanic/Latino origin; Non-Hispanic children reporting a single race category of either White or Black are grouped respectively; Non-Hispanic children reporting more than one race category are grouped under "Other, non-Hispanic." Non-Hispanic children reporting Asian, Native American, Native Alaskan or Native Hawaiian are categorized as "Other, non-Hispanic" due to small sample sizes in most states.

65.8%

54.3%

47.7%

60.9%

Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

CCAP is a federally and state funded program that is a two-generation approach to economic stability because it reduces the cost of child care for low-income parents so they can work while their children are in stable, consistent care environments. The program serves families with children under age 13 or children with disabilities under age 15. Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) CCAP is not fully funded so more than 5,000 families are on a waitlist for the program.25 In 2013, an average of 14,786 children participated in BSF CCAP, of which half were children of color or American Indian children.26


EDUCATION IS KEY to children realizing

the American Dream and experiencing

economic mobility. In turn, the vitality of the

state and national economy are dependent on

students entering the workforce prepared to

fill the roles of the growing retired population.

People with higher educational attainment

are more likely to have higher paying jobs,

have better health, be engaged in their

community and are less likely to go to jail.27

Addressing the achievement gap is crucial to

providing equitable access to education but

also to safeguarding Minnesota’s prosperous

economy, which hinges on student success.

Schools with concentrated populations

of color and low-income children are

often saddled with lower school funding,

less access to experienced and skilled

teachers, and located in under-resourced

neighborhoods, all contributing to poorer

outcomes.28

School Age

Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Programs

Access to summer enrichment programs can curb summer learning loss and narrow the achievement gap. One study found that two-thirds of the achievement gap between students from low and higher income families in 9th graders can be explained by the differences in summer experiences.30

Reading by Fourth Grade

After third grade, students are no longer learning to read they are reading to learn. Students who don’t meet this milestone fall further behind and are less likely to graduate high school, which results in high costs to their life outcomes and cumulative costs to society.

If U.S. students had met education achievement levels of higher performing nations between 1983 and 1998 American GDP could have been $1.3 to $2.3 trillion higher.29

Minnesota Report Card, Minnesota Department of Education. Note: Includes data on all reading accountability tests. New standards in reading were implemented in 2013, so comparison to prior years shouldn’t be made.

Minnesota Report Card, Minnesota Department of Education.

FOURTH GRADERS PROFICIENT IN READING BY RACE

2013 2014 2015

American Indian 29.9% 34.4% 37.5%

Asian 46.8% 46.2% 50.6%

Hispanic/Latino 31.1% 30.2% 35.9%

Black 29.9% 30.3% 34.4%

White 62.0% 64.1% 66.4%

Enrolled in School Meal Program 35.8% 35.4% 38.6%

TOTAL 54.2% 55.2% 57.9%

EIGHTH GRADERS PROFICIENT IN MATH

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

American Indian 24.5% 32.2% 28.1% 26.1% 31.6%

Asian 51.7% 59.3% 58.2% 61.9% 62.4%

Hispanic/Latino

27.4% 35.3% 32.5% 34.9% 34.0%

Black 24.9% 31.4% 28.5% 30.0% 30.3%

White 59.0% 67.5% 64.4% 65.1% 65.4%

Enrolled in School Meal Program 32.8% 41.3% 37.0% 38.0% 37.5%

TOTAL 52.6% 60.7% 57.3% 58.2% 58.0%

STRONGLY AGREEAGREE

DISAGREESTRONGLY DISAGREE

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The CDF Freedom Schools® program provides

summer and after-school enrichment to children

in high-poverty areas. The program helps children

fall in love with reading, increases self-esteem,

generates more positive attitudes toward learning

and connects families with resources. CDF-

MN partners with congregations, schools and

community organizations to serve more than

1,200 students, who are primarily of color, at 14

CDF Freedom Schools sites in the metro area.

The program and culturally specific curricula is

proven to curb summer learning loss and close

opportunity gaps. Recent evaluation found that

nearly 90 percent of participants maintained or

gained in their instructional reading level. Eighty

percent of parents said they would be more

involved in their child’s school. CDF-MN helped

launch a Latino-focused program at Academia

Cesar Chavez in St. Paul, an American Indian-

focused program with Minneapolis Public Schools

Office of Indian Education and Division of Indian

Work, and a program in a juvenile justice setting in

Minneapolis.

Check & Connect

Check & Connect relies on building a relationship between students and trained Check & Connect mentors to improve attendance, engagement and family involvement among K-12 students. Started as a collaborative effort between researchers at the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration and school-based professionals in Minneapolis Public Schools, Check & Connect is now a national model with evidence-based success. Studies show that Check & Connect increases student attendance and engagement particularly for students in special education or who are at risk of dropping out.

Teachers and Mentors Who Look Like Students

DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES: CDF FREEDOM SCHOOLS®

Students of Color

29%Teachers of Color

4%32

Teachers of color positively affect students of color as evidenced by increased rates in attendance, standardized test scores, and enrollment in advanced courses and college.31

FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WHO FEEL MOST TEACHERS AT THEIR SCHOOL ARE INTERESTED IN THEM AS INDIVIDUALS

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

American Indian

Asian

Black

Hispanic

White

Multiple Races

STRONGLY AGREEAGREE


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28.9%

31.5%

36.8%

34.7%

35.4%

58.5%

52.3%

55.3%

50.2%

51.3%

47.0%

33.4%

14.5%

10.3%

10.4%

10.9%

13.3%

5.7%

4.3%

2.9%

2.6%

3.1%

4.4%

2.5%


DECISIONS MADE AND EXPERIENCES encountered in adolescence direct children

on their path into adulthood. Only 80 percent

of a teenager’s brain is fully developed in

adolescence,33 but teens must make competent

choices that have lasting effects into adulthood

such as selecting college preparation courses,

using drugs and alcohol, and choosing friends.

Notably, the prefrontal cortex—the part of the

brain that is used for executive functioning

skills such as self-control, planning and

emotional regulation—is still developing and

changing greatly in adolescence.34 That’s why

a healthy environment and relationships with

caring adults are critical at this later stage

of development. Connection to caring adults

during adolescence has long-term effects such

as reduced risk of behavioral problems and

depression, increased ability to stay on task and

tackle challenges, and increased engagement

in school, activities and community.35 Stability,

direction and encouragement from caring

adults can guide adolescents toward decisions

that will improve their outcomes in adulthood.

Adolescence

Connection to a Mentor

Mentoring programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Kinship and Bolder Options provide young people with connections to caring adults to build relationships and encourage positive activities. One study found that mentorship programs for children reduced depressive symptoms and increased social acceptance, school attendance, interest and grades.36

FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION STATUS BY RACE & ETHNICITY, 2014

Graduated ContinuingDropped

OutUnknown

American Indian 50.6% 20.7% 20.1% 8.6%

Asian 81.7% 11.4% 4.3% 2.7%

Black 60.4% 25.8% 8.7% 5.2%

Hispanic or Latino

63.2% 21.1% 10.9% 4.9%

White 86.3% 7.9% 3.6% 2.3%

Minnesota Department of Health. Note: All race categories include Hispanic.

Minnesota Report Card, Minnesota Department of Education.

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

American Indian 97.33 67.07 71.59 60.38 48.29 40.9

Asian 40.6 31.38 29.56 27 24.14 19.46

Black 63.54 48.49 40.26 39.04 36.96 34.18

Hispanic 80.66 63.18 48.63 51.9 40.96 38.78

White 15.04 14.92 13.27 12.79 11.94 11.03

TEEN BIRTH RATE PER 1,000 BY RACE & ETHNICITY, 2009–14

Child and Teen Checkups

Child and Teen Checkups is Minnesota’s name for the federal Early Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program. The program, for children age 0 to 20 enrolled in Medicaid, aims to increase access to scheduled periodic health and developmental screenings with the goal of diagnosing health problems before they become more serious and costly to treat.

of eligible children received at least one initial or periodic screening through the Child and Teen Checkups Program in 20143772%


With the goal to “interrupt historical patterns of inequity,”

St. Louis Park School District is working to improve student

success by incorporating race equity into teacher evaluation.

Using existing funds from the state-funded Quality

Compensation grant program, teachers decided in 2013 to

focus their evaluation on equity for underserved students,

particularly students of color and lower income students.

By observing classes, assessing teaching practices, providing

resources and co-teaching lessons, equity coaches work to

improve teacher instruction, reflection and interaction with

students in order to create inclusive, culturally responsive

classrooms that support success for a diverse student

population. The equity coaches also build relationships

with students, encourage students to relate experiences of

inequity in the classroom, and help lead the student group

Students Against Racism. The program aims to shift school

culture with the long-term goal of racial equity, demonstrated

through improved test scores and graduation rates. The

program started with two former district teachers at St. Louis

Park High School who worked with the nationally recognized

Equity Collaborative to develop the program, which has

expanded to six coaches in seven schools and the district’s

early education program.

Alcohol and Drug Use Reduction Among Minnesota Teens

Half the number of youth age 12 to 17 reported abusing illicit drugs or alcohol in 2012–2013 (21,000 or 5%) compared to 2005–2006 (42,000 or 9%).38 Teen alcohol and drug

abuse are associated with other risky behavior, poor academic performance, and other health and

social implications that can last into

adulthood.39

DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES: RACE EQUITY COACHES AT ST. LOUIS PARK SCHOOLS

Sickmund, Melissa, Sladky, T.J., Kang, Wei, and Puzzanchera, C. (2015) “Easy Access to the Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement.” Online Author’s analysis of OJJDP’s Census of Juveniles in Residential Placement 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2011 [machine-readable data files].

In 2013, suicide was the second leading cause of death for adolescents age 15 to 24. TXT4Life uses texting as a means to reach youth experiencing a mental health crisis. This has led to more than 19,000 text counseling sessions since 2012. TXT4Life is a collaboration with local mental health centers, schools, reservations, counties and the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The crisis text service is now available 24/7 in 39 counties, eight reservations and two colleges in Minnesota. Text “Life” to 61222.

TXT4Life Helps With Suicide Prevention

YOUTH RESIDING IN JUVENILE DETENTION CENTERS BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, 2011

Number Rate per

100,000

American Indian 102 1,141

Asian 27 85

Black 309 660

Hispanic or Latino 60 151

White 303 68

Other 24 NA

Total 828 145

5% of teens age 16 to 19 in Minnesota are not in school and not working.

—Population Reference Bureau


18%

WITH A RECOVERING ECONOMY, changing

job market and increasing demand for higher

education, young adults are struggling to enter

and advance in the workforce. Unemployment

rates for youth ages 16 to 24 have dropped

to lows not seen in more than 50 years.40 The

number of disconnected youth, those not in

school or working, has remained stagnant

in Minnesota since 2010 despite increased

graduation and lower unemployment rates

overall. Research shows that young people who

don’t have an early work experience are more

likely to experience later unemployment and

lower career attainment. For each 16-year-old

out of work, one study estimated the cost to

taxpayers to be $258,040.41 Young men and

young adults of color are more likely to be

unemployed and disconnected and, therefore,

should be targeted for the opportunities that

improve the odds for successful transition to

adulthood including programs to encourage

college enrollment and success, job skills

and training programs, and multiple, flexible

pathways to career success.42

Young Adult

Supporting College Enrollment and Success

Public and private programs such as College Possible and Upward Bound provide the encouragement, resources and plan to ensure college enrollment and success for low-income and diverse high school students.

Higher income young adults are 5x as likely as lower

5x

income peers to have a college degree by 25.43

YOUNG ADULTS AGES 16 TO 24 NOT IN SCHOOL OR NOT WORKING, 2008–2012

Integrated Public Use Microdate Series, 2008–2012. Data Analyzed and Published by PolicyLink, National Equity Atlas. Available online at http://nationalequityatlas.org/.

Access to Health Coverage and Care

Affordability and access to health coverage and care increased for young adults under provisions of the Affordable Care Act implemented in 2010. A recent University of Minnesota study found that the likelihood of young adults spending more than $1,500 on out-of-pocket health care costs fell by 57 percent since the law was implemented.44

Uninsured rates for Minnesotans ages 18–25

fell by 8 percentage points since implementation of the Affordable Care Act.45

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

American Indian

Asian Black Hispanic or Latino

White Mixed/Other

TOTAL

32.4%

10.4%

23.2%

17.3%

7.1%

11.0%

9.4%

YOUNG ADULTS AGES 25 TO 29 WHO HAVE COMPLETED AN ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE OR HIGHER, BY RACE AND ETHNICITY

Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System (SLEDS), Minnesota Department of Education.

11% 59%

55%

22%

50%

American Indian

Asian Black

White TOTALHispanic or Latino


DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES: COOKIE CART

Work Experience and Training

Increasing Services for Homeless Youth

In the most recent Wilder Homelessness Survey in 2012 there were 1,151 youth on their own in Minnesota, including 146 ages 17 and younger and 1,005 age 18 through 21. Recent investments in the Homeless Youth Act made by the state legislature support prevention, outreach, drop-in, shelter and supportive services for homeless youth.

With ingredients like paid work experience and training,

leadership development and financial education, Cookie Cart

is, as its tagline says, “baking bright futures.” The nonprofit

bakery provides paid work experience and training to youth

ages 15 to 18 who often live in areas of concentrated

poverty, while preparing them for future career success

through life and leadership skills training.

Cookie Cart aims to affect youth through connectedness

to new communities, goal orientation, interpersonal skills,

critical thinking and employment readiness. An evaluation

of the program’s impact in these areas found that nearly all

youth participants surveyed felt they gained the ability to

present themselves as experienced employees and more than

80 percent expressed an increased ability to set goals and

work toward them, make good decisions, and use peaceful

means to resolve conflict.

Cookie Cart was a vision of Sister Jean Thuerauf who

invited youth from her neighborhood into her home for

help with schoolwork and to bake cookies. In 1988 her

informal program became a nonprofit bakery and storefront

in North Minneapolis. In 2015 the program will serve 200

students with 30,000 hours of hands-on work and classroom

experience, and in 2016 the program will expand to St. Paul.

of homeless adults in Minnesota reported that their first time experiencing homelessness was as a child.4625%

PERCENT OF 2013 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES PERSISTING OR GRADUATING AS OF SECOND ACADEMIC YEAR*

50%

61%

74%

79%

63%

76%

American Indian Asian Black

Hispanic or Latino White TOTAL

PERCENT OF 2013 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES ENROLLING IN COLLEGE IN THE FALL*

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

*Statewide Longitudinal Education Data System (SLEDS), Minnesota Department of Education.

American Indian

Asian Black Hispanic or Latino

White TOTAL

5%

11% 19%

8%

21% 19%

45% 58% 50% 41% 51% 50%

In-StateOut of State

Programs across the state like STEP-UP in Minneapolis, Genesys Works in St. Paul and Job Preparedness Initiative in Steele County, provide job experience, training and support by leveraging partnerships with employers to provide experience and stepping stones to careers for young adults.

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DEMOGRAPHICS Number Percent/Rate Year(s)CT Child population, As % of total population 1,279,597 24% 2013

Children 0-4, As % of children 347,965 27% 2013




CT Children by Race/Ethnicity

White, non-Hispanic, As % of children 916,588 72% 2013

Black, non-Hispanic, As % of children 103,532 8% 2013

American Indian, non-Hispanic, As % of children 17,975 1% 2013

Asian, non-Hispanic, As % of children 72,684 6% 2013

Two or more races, non-Hispanic, As % of children 60,370 5% 2013

Hispanic or Latino, As % of children 107,848 8% 2013

CT= Data also available by county on KIDS COUNT Data Center website: http://datacenter.kidscount.org

State-Level Data Tables

State-level data historically collected in the Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book can be found on the following pages.

The data are broken out into eight categories so that readers can easily find the information:

• Demographics

• Family and Caregivers

• Economic Security

• Early Childhood

• K–12 Education

• Healthy Development

• Food and Nutrition

• Safe Homes and Communities

Indicators available at the county

level are highlighted with a CT in

the left hand column. Please visit

the KIDS COUNT Data Center

(datacenter.kidscount.org) to find the

most recent county-level information

along with other state-level data. PH

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FAMILY AND CAREGIVERS Number Percent/Rate

Year(s)

Households raising children, As % of all households 652,280 30.8% 2013

Children in households:

with married adults, As % of children in households 907,000 71% 2013

with mother only, As % of children in households 267,000 21% 2013

with father only, As % of children in households 93,000 7% 2013

Children being raised by unmarried, cohabitating partners, As % of children 111,000 9% 2013

Children being raised by grandparents, As % of children 25,000 2% 2013

Children in immigrant families (child and/or parent is foreign-born), As % of children 219,000 17% 2013

CT Total births, Rate per 1,000 children 69,183 12.8 2013

Births by Maternal Education, As % of births

Less than 4 years of high school 7,224 10.5% 2013

4 years of high school or GED completed 11,646 17% 2013

Some college credit but no degree 13,482 19.7% 2013

Associate’s Degree 9,382 13.7% 2013

Bachelor's Degree 18,058 26.3% 2013

Master's, Doctorate, or Professional Degree 8,788 12.8% 2013

Births to US-born mothers, As % of births 56,948 82.3% 2013

Births to foreign-born mothers, As % of births 12,235 17.7% 2013

Children born to married mothers, As % of births 46,420 67.1% 2013

CT Children born to unmarried mothers, As % of births 22,739 32.9% 2013

CT Children born with no father listed on the birth certificate, As % of births 8,446 12.2% 2013

CTChildren born to teenage (age 15-17) mothers, Rate per 1,000 15- to 17-year-olds, 2011–2013 2,570 8.2 2011–2013

CTChildren in the Family Assessment Response program, Rate per 1,000 children 18,467 14.4 2013

CT Children in out-of-home placements, Rate per 1,000 children 11,510 9 2013

Children aging out of foster care without a permanent family 49 2013

Children who were state wards waiting for adoptive homes, year-end 863 2013



ECONOMIC SECURITY Number Percent/Rate Year(s)Children living in extreme poverty, As % of children 72,000 6% 2013

CT Children living in poverty, As % of children 177,000 14% 2013

White children in poverty, As % of all white children 73,000 8% 2013

African American children in poverty, As % of all African American children 40,000 40% 2013

Asian children in poverty, As % of all Asian children 15,000 23% 2013

American Indian children in poverty, As % of all American Indian children 7,000 41% 2013

Hispanic children in poverty, As % of all Hispanic children 29,000 28% 2013

Immigrant children in poverty, As % of all immigrant children 52,000 24% 2013

Children age 5 and under living in poverty, As % of children age 5 and under 62,000 15% 2013

Children below 200% of poverty, As % of children 419,000 33% 2013

Families living in poverty, As % of families 79,000 12% 2013

Married-couple families with children in poverty, As % of all married-couple families with children 20,000 4% 2013

Single-parent families with children in poverty, As % of all single-parent families with children 60,000 30% 2013

Entire population living in poverty, As % of population 592,000 11% 2013

Median annual income of families raising children (in 2013 dollars) $75,300 2013

Median annual income of White families (in 2013 dollars) $84,200 2013

Median annual income of African American families (in 2013 dollars) $30,600 2013

Median annual income of American Indian families (in 2013 dollars) $36,400 2013

Median annual income of Asian families (in 2013 dollars) $67,400 2013

Median annual income of Hispanic families (in 2013 dollars) $38,900 2013

Families with all resident parents in the workforce, As % of families 490,888 79.5% 2013

CT Tax households who claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), as % of tax households 341,803 14% TY 2013

CT Total value of the EITC $727,916,997 TY 2013

Families in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) 33,477 2013

CT In Child-only cases 10,902 2013

CT In Adult-eligible cases 22,575 2013

Children in Tribal TANF cases 148 2013

CT Percent of families collecting child support, As % of eligible families 70% 2013

Households headed by unmarried women who are receiving child support, As % of households headed by unmarried women 41,000 34%

2010-2012



EARLY CHILDHOOD Number Percent/Rate Year(s)CT Children born preterm, As % of births 5,156 8.1% 2013

CT Children born at low-birthweight, As % of births 3,147 4.7% 2013

Children age 3 and 4 not enrolled in preschool 78,000 55% 2011-2013

CT Average annual cost of center-based child care

Infant $14,764 2015

Toddler $12,776 2015

Preschooler $11,379 2015

School-Age $9,443 2015

CT Average annual cost of family-based child care

Infant $7,990 2015

Toddler $7,599 2015

Preschooler $7,260 2015

School-Age $6,525 2015

Children under age 6 with all available parents in the workforce, As % of children under age 6 298,000 74% 2013

Children in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), average monthly enrollment

Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Transition Year Child Care Assistance Program 15,553 2014

Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) 14,786 2014

Families on waiting lists for the CCAP 5,781 Aug-15

Children served by Head Start or Early Head Start 16,573 2014

Children served by Part C Early Intervention and have Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs), 2013-14 school year, As % of all children age 0–2 5,162 2.5% 2013

K–12 EDUCATION Number Percent/Rate Year(s)Students enrolled in non-public schools 68,213 2014

CT Students enrolled in K-12 public schools 842,932 2014

CTK-12 public school students with limited English proficiency, As % of K-12 public school students 66,869 7.9% 2014

CTK-12 public school students enrolled in special education, As % of K-12 public school students 113,111 13.4% 2014

CT Students changing schools, As % of 2013-14 K-12 public school students 105,331 12.6% 2013

CT Students who graduated in 4 years, As % of public school students 53,524 81.2% 2013

CT Students who dropped out within 4 years, As % of public school students 3,266 5.0% 2013

Children age 6 to 12 with all available parents in the workforce, As % of children 6 to 12 374,000 74% 2013




HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT Number Percent/Rate Year(s)CT Children without health insurance, As % of children 72,885 5.7% 2011-2013

CT Average monthly enrollment of children in Medical Assistance 379,400 2014

CT Average monthly enrollment of children in MinnesotaCare 24,133 2014

CT Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, As % of births 7,333 10.6% 2013

CTChildren whose mothers received late or inadequate prenatal care, As % of births 2,573 4.0% 2013

CTChildren 24 to 35 months who are up-to-date with the vaccine series, As % of children 24 to 35 months 63.2% Jul-15

FOOD AND NUTRITION Number Percent/Rate Year(s)

CTK-12 students approved for free or reduced-price school meals, As % of K-12 students 323,009 37.7% 2014

CT Average monthly enrollment of children receiving SNAP, As % of children 177,652 13.9% 2014

CT Participation in the WIC nutrition program

Women (pregnant, breastfeeding and post-partum) 56,878 2013

Babies born to mothers enrolled in WIC, As % of babies born 30,798 45% 2013

Children (1 to 5 years old), As % of children age 1 to 5 85,170 31% 2013

Households that are "food insecure," As % of households 231,012 10.8% 2013

CT Children in families visiting food shelves (non-unique, counted each visit) 1,261,753 2013

Children in the Summer Food Service Program (average daily participation), As % of those enrolled in free and reduced-price school lunches 39,088 12.1% 2013

SAFE HOMES AND COMMUNITIES Number Percent/Rate Year(s)CT Children under age 6 testing positive for lead poisoning 653 2013

Children living in crowded housing, As % of children 129,000 10% 2013

CTHouseholds where housing costs exceed 30% of income, As % of all housing units

Owner 319,780 21.0% 2013

Renter 270,381 44.8% 2013

CT Housing status of children, As % of children in occupied housing units

Owner 941,685 73.7% 2013

Renter 336,042 23.6% 2013

CTChildren age 10 to 17 arrested for serious crimes, Rate per 1,000 children age 10 to 17 7,067 12.4 2013

CT Children who died from unintentional injuries 79 2013

CT Children abused or neglected, Rate per 1,000 children 4,183 3.3 2013

CT Children who committed suicide or were murdered 39 2013


“Children” if not otherwise defined refers to those under age 18 (0-17). A “parent” may be either biological, adoptive or a stepparent. “Families” refer to a parent raising one or more children in their household. A “household” may contain a single family, more than one family, a family and one or more sub-families (such as three generations living together), or it may contain members that are unrelated. Total and sub-group child populations used for calculating most rates are from the U.S. Census Bureau’s year that corresponds to the data.

Statewide poverty estimates are based upon the universe for which poverty status is determined in the 2013 American Community Survey (ACS). Poverty status is not determined for people in military barracks, institutional quarters, or for unrelated individuals under age 18 (such as foster children). The federal poverty definition consists of a series of thresholds based on family size and composition.

Some data presented in this book is reflective of actual counts, while other data is obtained from survey estimates. In the latter case, we have rounded many figures to the nearest 500 or 1,000 to emphasize that the figure is an estimate, which contains a margin of error. For additional information about sampling methodology and confidence intervals, please refer to the original data source or contact Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota.

DEMOGRAPHICS Child population, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates for July 1, 2013.

Child population by age group, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates for July 1, 2013.

Child population by race/ethnicity, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates for July 1, 2013. Note: Hispanic/Latino children are not counted in racial groupings.

FAMILY & CAREGIVERS Households raising children, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey.

Children in households, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children being raised by unmarried, cohabitating partners, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children being raised by grandparents, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children in immigrant families, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Total births, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Births by maternal education, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Births to U.S.-born mothers, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Births to foreign-born mothers, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Children born to married mothers, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Children born to unmarried mothers, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Children born with no father listed on the birth certificate, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Children born to teenage (15-17) mothers, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Note: Due to small numbers, rate represents 3-year average for 2011-2013; rate given per 1,000 teenage girls age 15 to 17.

Children in the Family Assessment Response Program, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota’s Child Welfare Report for 2013, October 2014, # DHS-5408F-ENG.

Children in out-of-home placements, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota’s Child Welfare Report for 2013, October 2014, # DHS-5408F-ENG.

Children aging out of foster care without a permanent family, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota’s Child Welfare Report for 2013, October 2014, # DHS-5408F-ENG.

Children who were state wards waiting for adoptive homes, year-end, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota’s Child Welfare Report for 2013, October 2014, # DHS-5408F-ENG.

ECONOMIC SECURITYChildren living in extreme poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children living in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children in poverty by race/ethnicity, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Immigrant children in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children under age 5 living in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Children below 200% of the poverty line, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Families living in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Married-couple households with children in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Single-parent households with children in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Entire population living in poverty, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Median annual income of families raising children, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey.

Median family income by race/ethnicity, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: See tables B19113A, B, C, D, E, and I.

Families with all resident parents in the workforce, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Due to significant changes to the American Community Survey questions on labor force participation and number of weeks worked starting in 2008, comparisons to previous years’ estimates are not recommended.

Tax households that claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), 2013 (Tax Year 2013)Source: Internal Revenue Service, Stakeholder Partnerships, Education & Communications (SPEC) Tax Return Information Database for Tax year 2013. Note: Data retrieved from The Brookings Institution, EITC Interactive: http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/eitc. A tax household is the unit containing all people listed on a single return. Note: Data only includes taxes filed from January to June of 2013 for Tax Year 2013. SPEC estimates that for any given tax year, 90 percent of tax data is captured by the part-year data.

Total value of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), 2013 (Tax Year 2013)Source: Internal Revenue Service, Stakeholder Partnerships, Education & Communications (SPEC) Tax Return Information Database for Tax year 2013. Note: Data retrieved from The Brookings Institution, EITC Interactive: http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/eitc. A tax household is the unit containing all people listed on a single return. Note: Data only includes taxes filed from January to June of 2013 for Tax Year 2013. SPEC estimates that for any given tax year, 90 percent of tax data is captured by the part-year data.

Families in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Program Assessment and Integrity Division. Minnesota Family Investment Program and the Diversionary Work Program: Characteristics of December 2013 Cases and Eligible Adults (May 2014). Retrieved from the Internet: https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-4219P-ENG

Percent of families collecting child support, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services, Child Support Enforcement Division. Child Support Performance Report 2013. Arrears collection based on the federal fiscal year. Retrieved from the Internet: https://edocs.dhs.state.mn.us/lfserver/Public/DHS-4252N-ENG

Households headed by unmarried women who are receiving child support, 2012Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (March supplement). Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

EARLY CHILDHOODChildren born preterm, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Note: Live births of babies who are less than 37 weeks gestation at birth. Single births only; not multiples.

Children born at low-birthweight, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Note: Refers to live births during 2013 in which the child weighed less than 2500 grams (5 pounds, 8 ounces) at birth. Single births only; not multiples.

Technical Notes


Children age 3 and 4 not attending preschool, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center Online.

Cost of center-based child care, 2015Source: Child Care Aware of Minnesota. 2015 Child Care Provider Rate Survey. Personal contact with Angie Bowman.

Cost of family-based child care, 2015Source: Child Care Aware of Minnesota. 2015 Child Care Provider Rate Survey. Personal contact with Angie Bowman.

Children under age 6 with all available parents in the workforce, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center Online. Due to significant changes starting in 2008 to the American Community Survey, questions on labor force participation and number of weeks worked have changed and comparisons to previous years’ estimates are not recommended.

Average monthly enrollment of children in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), 2014Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services, Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program Fiscal Year 2014 Family Profile, February 2015. Note: Monthly averages of children receiving CCAP including Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), Transition Year (TY) and Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) during state fiscal year 2014 (July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014).

Families on the waiting list for CCAP, August 2015Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Note: The August 2015 waiting list was the most recent available at the time of publication.

Children served by Head Start or Early Head Start, 2014Source: 2014 Minnesota Head Start Facts, Minnesota Head Start Association.

Children served by Part C Early Intervention Services and have Individual Family Service Plans, 2013Source: Minnesota Part C Annual Performance Report, Governor’s Interagency Coordinating Council.

K–12 EDUCATIONStudents enrolled in non-public schools, 2014-15Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Education Statistics Summary 2014-15. Note: Count as of October 14, 2015.

Students enrolled in K-12 public schools, 2014-15Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota Education Statistics Summary 2014-15. Note: Count as of October 14, 2015.

K-12 public school students with limited English proficiency, 2014-15Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Data Center, 2014-15 Enrollments-County-Special Populations spreadsheet.

K-12 public school students enrolled in special education, 2014-15Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Data Center, 2014-15 Enrollments-County-Special Populations spreadsheet.

Students changing schools, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Data Center, Student Mobility-District Level, 2013-14.

Students who graduated in 4 years, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Data Center, 2013-2014 Graduation Rates.

Students who dropped out in 4 years, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Data Center, 2013-14 Graduation Rates.

Children age 6 to 12 with all available parents in the workforce, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online. Due to significant changes starting in 2008 to the American Community Survey, questions on labor force participation and number of weeks worked have changed and comparisons to previous years’ estimates are not recommended.

HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT Children without health insurance, 2011-2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011-13 American Community Survey.

Average monthly enrollment of children in Medical Assistance, 2014Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services, Reports & Forecasts Division. Personal contact with Ray Kurth-Nelson. Note: Includes children in MFIP households. Refers to children below age 18, although 18- to 20-year-olds are eligible to receive Medical Assistance. Child’s age calculated as of July 1, 2014. Children are counted in both Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollee counts if they were enrolled in both programs during the year.

Average monthly enrollment of children in MinnesotaCare, 2014Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services, Reports & Forecasts Division. Note: Child’s age calculated as of July 1, 2014. Children are counted in only one county even if they moved during the year. Children are counted in both Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare enrollee counts if they were enrolled in both programs during the year.

Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Note: Births are assigned to the mother’s county of residence, regardless where the birth occurred.

Children whose mothers received late or inadequate prenatal care, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Note: “Inadequate” is defined as either no prenatal care, care beginning in the 3rd trimester, or an inadequate range of visits, regardless of when prenatal care began.

Children 24-35 months who are up-to-date with the vaccine series, 2015Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Immunization Program. Childhood Immunization Coverage in Minnesota, July 2015. Note: The vaccine series consists of 4+ DTaP, 3+ Polio, 1+ MMR, Complete Hib, 3+ HelpB, 1+ Varicella, and Complete Prevnar. Data includes children born from July 2013 through June 2013.

FOOD AND NUTRITION K-12 students approved for free or reduced-price school meals, 2014-15Source: Minnesota Department of Education, Data Center, 2014-15 Enrollments-County-Special Populations spreadsheet.

Average monthly enrollment of children receiving SNAP, 2014Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services, MAXIS Data Warehouse. Personal contact with Amy Gehring. Note: Average monthly enrollment during calendar year 2014 of unique children in SNAP households. Includes children from MFIP Food Portion cases. Count of children only includes SNAP-eligible children in the household.

Average monthly participation in the WIC nutrition program, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, WIC Category and Race and Ethnicity Annual Reports. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/localagency/reports/pptndemo/annual/unduplicated.html. Note: WIC is officially called the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

Percent of households that are “food insecure,” 2013Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Household Food Security in the United States, 2013. Note: Based on data from the Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement.

Children in families visiting food shelves, 2013Source: Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Food Shelf Statistics Report, 01/2013 to 12/2013. Personal contact with James Redmond. Note: Not a unique count of children served. All children in a family were counted each time a family member visited a food shelf during the year.

Children in the Summer Food Service Program, 2013Source: Food Research and Action Center, State of the States 2013, Minnesota page. Note: Average daily participation during the month of July (busiest month). Rate is calculated by dividing summer participation figure by free and reduced-price school lunch enrollment figure.

SAFE HOMES & COMMUNITIESChildren under age 6 testing positive for lead poisoning, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics, Surveillance Database Reports. Note: Refers to children who were tested and found to have blood lead levels of 5 Micrograms per Deciliter (µg/dL) or greater. Data on children testing positive for lead poisoning published in prior Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Books referred to children found to have blood lead levels of 10 µg/dL or greater. The change was made because in 2013 the Commissioner of Health changed the state’s definition of elevated blood lead level to 5 mcg/dL.

Children living in crowded housing, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey. Note: Analysis by Population Reference Bureau. See KIDS COUNT Data Center online.

Households where housing costs exceed 30% of income, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. Table B25091: Mortgage Status by Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months.

Housing status of children, 2013Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates.

Children age 10-17 arrested for a serious crime, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Public Safety, 2013 Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota Justice Information Services, Uniform Crime Report (July 2014). Note: Refers to arrests of juveniles age 10-17. Rate per 1,000 is calculated by dividing the number of juvenile arrests by the total number of children ages 10-17, then multiplying by 1,000. “Serious” crimes (Part I crimes) include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, vehicle theft and arson. Not all children arrested for serious crimes may have committed these crimes, and not all children who committed serious crimes may have been arrested.

Children who died from unintentional injuries, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.

Children abused or neglected, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota’s Child Welfare Report for 2013, October 2014, # DHS-5408F-ENG..

Children who committed suicide or were murdered, 2013Source: Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Statistics. 2013 Minnesota County Health Tables. Personal contact with Joni Geppert.


1 U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates for July 1, 2013.

2 Adapted and updated from 2010 Minnesota KIDS COUNT Data Book. Every Kid Count: A Closer Look at Children of Color and American Indian Children. September 2010, St. Paul, Minn. All current population estimates in this section are 2013 estimates from the Population Division at the U.S. Census Bureau. All of the population projection estimates are from Minnesota Population Projections by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2005 to 2035 by the Minnesota State Demographic Center.

3 McMurry, M. Minnesota Population Projections by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2005 to 2035. Minnesota State Demographic Center: Minnesota Department of Administration (January 2009).

4 Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau.

5 Wilder Research, Minnesota Compass. Data from 2010-12 Integrated Public Use Microdata Series from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

6 McMurry, M. Minnesota Population Projections by Race and Hispanic Origin, 2005 to 2035. Minnesota State Demographic Center: Minnesota Department of Administration (January 2009).

7 Minnesota Department of Human Services, Reports & Forecasts Division. Personal contact with Ray Kurth-Nelson. Note: Includes children in MFIP households. Refers to children below age 18, although 18- to 20-year-olds are eligible to receive Medical Assistance. Child’s age calculated as of July 1, 2014.

8 Minnesota Department of Human Services, MAXIS Data Warehouse. Personal contact with Amy Gehring. Note: Average monthly enrollment during calendar year 2014 of unique children in SNAP households. Includes children from MFIP Food Portion cases. Count of children only includes SNAP-eligible children in the household.

9 Minnesota Department of Health, WIC Category and Race and Ethnicity Annual Reports. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/localagency/reports/pptndemo/annual/unduplicated.html Note: WIC is officially called the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

10 Minnesota Department of Human Services, Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program Fiscal Year 2014 Family Profile, February 2015. Note: Monthly averages of children receiving Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) during state fiscal year 2014 (July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014).

11 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. July 2009. Preventing low birth-weight (KIDS COUNT Indicator Brief). Baltimore, MD.

12 Bitler, M.P., Currie, J. Does WIC Work? The Effect of WIC on Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes. June 2004. Department of Economics, University of California Los Angeles.

13 Children’s HealthWatch. January 2010. WIC Improves Child Health and School Readiness. Retrieved from http://www.childrenshealthwatch.org/upload/resource/wic_brief_jan10.pdf.

14 Minnesota Department of Health, WIC Category and Race and Ethnicity Annual Reports. Personal contact with Joni Geppert. Retrieved from http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/localagency/reports/pptndemo/annual/unduplicated.htm.

15 Children’s HealthWatch. January 2010. WIC Improves Child Health and School Readiness. Retrieved from http://www.childrenshealthwatch.org/upload/resource/wic_brief_jan10.pdf.

16 Minnesota Department of Health, Center for Health Equity. March 2015. White Paper on Paid Leave and Health.

17 Ibid.

18 U.S. Department of Labor. Paternity Leave: Why Parental Leave for Fathers is So Important to Working Families. June 17, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.dol.gov/asp/policy-development/PaternityBrief.pdf.

19 Minnesota Department of Human Services Family Home Visiting Overview. Retrieved from the internet: http://www.health.state.mn.us/fhv/.

20 Minnesota Department of Health, Family Home Visiting Program Report to the Legislature 2014 (March 2014).

21 Centering Health Institute Research and Evaluation on the Centering Model of Care. Articles retrieved from the internet: http://centeringhealthcare.org/pages/research/research-evaluation.php.

22 This paragraph is adapted from The Science of Early Childhood Development (2007). National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. http://developingchild.harvard.edu.

23 Minnesota Part C Annual Performance Report, Governor’s Interagency Coordinating Council, April 2015.

24 Larson, A. and Stewart, D. 2009. The Child Protection and Special Education Outcomes of Part C Participants. University of Minnesota Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare.

25 Minnesota Department of Human Services. Note: The August 2015 waiting list was the most recent available at the time of publication.

26 Minnesota Department of Human Services. Minnesota Child Care Assistance Program State Fiscal Year 2014 Family Profile. February 2015.

27 Children’s Defense Fund. State of America’s Children 2014. Washington, D.C.

28 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. March 2014. Race for Results: Building a Path to Opportunity for all Children. Baltimore, MD.

29 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. January 2010. Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters. Baltimore, MD.

30 National Summer Learning Association. Summer Can Set Kids on the Right – Or Wrong – Course. Baltimore, MD.

31 Educators 4 Excellence Minnesota. February 2015. Closing Gaps: Diversifying Minnesota’s Teacher Workforce.

32 Ibid.

33 Juskalian, R. “How Teen Experiences Affect Your Brain for Life.” Newsweek. December 16, 2010.

34 Massachussets Institute of Technology Work & Life Center. Young Adult Development Project, 2008. Adapted from: http://hrweb.mit.edu/worklife/youngadult/brain.html

35 Bandy, T.; Moore, K.; Murphey, D.; and Schmitz, H. Child Trends. December 2013. Caring Adults: Important for Positive Child Well-Being.

36 Herrera, Carla, David L. DuBois and Jean Baldwin Grossman. 2013. The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles, Executive Summary. New York, NY: A Public/Private Ventures project distributed by MDRC.

37 Minnesota Department of Human Services, Purchasing and Services Delivery Department. CMS-416, FFY 2014 C&TC Participation Report, June 1, 2015.

38 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2005-06 – 2011-12.

39 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. July 2015. 2015 KIDS COUNT Data Book: State Trends in Child Well-Being. Baltimore, MD.

40 The Annie E. Casey Foundation. December 2012. Youth and Work: Restoring teen and young adult connections to opportunity. Baltimore, MD.

41 Ibid.

42 Ibid.

43 The Executive Office of the President. January 2014. Increasing College Opportunity for Low-Income Students: Promising Models and a Call to Action. Washington, D.C.

44 Busch, S.H., Golberstein, E., and Meara, E. ACA Dependent Coverage Provision Reduced High Out-Of-Pocket Health Care Spending For Young Adults. Health Affairs (Millwood). 2014;33(8):1361–6.

45 Minnesota Department of Health. February 2014. Health Insurance Coverage in Minnesota: Preliminary Results from the 2013 Health Care Access Survey.

46 Wilder Research, September 2013. Homelessness in Minnesota: Results from the 2012 statewide homeless study. St. Paul, MN.

Endnotes

555 Park Street • Saint Paul, MN 55103 • 651-227-6121 • www.cdf-mn.org

KIDS COUNT Online

National KIDS COUNT | www.kidscount.org

KIDS COUNT Data Center (National, State and Local Data) | datacenter.kidscount.org

Minnesota KIDS COUNT | www.cdf-mn.org/kidscount

Documents

Minnesota Kids Count 2015: Developing Opportunities for All